... parce qu’on songe plus à le paroître aux autres qu’à être effectivement ce qu’il faut être.   [... because we think more about appearing so to others than actually being what we must be.]

The desire to be thought a wise Man, oftentimes hinders ones coming to be really such.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶200]

The desire of appearing to be persons of ability often prevents our being so.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶1, ed. Lepoittevin-Lacroix (1797), ¶190]

Never are we made so ridiculous by the qualities we have, as by those we affect to have. An affectation of wisdom often prevents our becoming wise.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶19]

The desire of appearing clever often prevents our becoming so.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶208]

The desire to appear clever often prevents our being so.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶199; tr. Stevens (1939), ¶199]

The desire to appear clever often prevents a man from being so.
[tr. FitzGibbon (1957), ¶199]

The desire to seem clever often prevents our being so.
[tr. Kronenberger (1959), ¶199]

The desire to appear intelligent, often prevents us from actually becoming so.
[tr. Whichello (2016) ¶199]

Whoever interrupts the conversation of others to display the extent of his wisdom, will assuredly discover the depth of his folly.
[tr. Eastwick (1852), #82]

Who interrupts the conversation of others that they may know his excellence, they will become acquainted only with the degree of his folly.
[tr. Burton (1888), #58]

Whoever interrupts the conversation of others to make a display of his own fund of knowledge, makes notorious his own stock of ignorance.
[tr. Ross (1900), #96]

If any one interrupts the speech of others in order that people may know his stock of learning, they will discover the extent of his ignorance.
[tr. Platts (1904), #86]

Those whose conversation has been interrupted by a man trying to show off his intelligence will know him instead by the depth of his ignorance.
[tr. Rehatsek/Newman (2004), #84]

There are those People, who so ardently and passionately desire a thing, that for fear they shall lose it, they leave nothing undone that may surely make 'em lose it.
[Bullord ed. (1696)]

There are certain People, who so ardently and passionately desire a thing, that out of fear of losing it, they leave nothing undone to make 'em lose it.
[Curll ed. (1713)]

Some so ardently and passionately desire a thing, that out of fear of losing it, they run into Measures which infallibly makes them lose it.
[Browne ed. (1752)]

There are some people who are so ardently and resolutely bent on gaining a certain thing that, for fear of losing it, they do everything that is likely to lose it for them.
[tr. Stewart (1970)]

We are reveng'd on our selves, and give our Enemies too much advantage over us, when we say things of them which are not true, and lie to reproach 'em.
[Bullord ed. (1696)]

'Tis reproaching our selves, and giving our Enemies too much advantage over us, to say things of them which are not true, and lie to disparage them.
[Curll ed. (1713)]

We are vindictive to our own loss, and give the Staff into our Enemies Hands, when we say things of them which are not true, and lie to defame them.
[Browne ed. (1752)]

To say things of our enemies which are not true, and to lie to defame them, is to avenge ourselves on ourselves, and give them too great an advantage over us.
[tr. Van Laun (1885)]

For those who desire to have others be afraid of them, must needs be afraid of those others in their turns.
[tr. Cockman (1699)]

For they who desire to become objects of terror to others, must dread those who regard them with fear.
[tr. McCartney (1798)]

For it is a necessary consequence, that men fear those very persons by whom they wish to be feared.
[tr. Edmonds (1865)]

For it is inevitable that those who wish to be feared should themselves fear the very persons by whom they are feared.
[tr. Peabody (1883)]

For men involuntarily fear those whom they intimidate.
[tr. Gardiner (1899)]

Those who wish to be feared must inevitably be afraid of those whom they intimidate.
[tr. Miller (1913)]